Kolkata, Sep 27 (IANS): The Lok Sabha's Committee of Privileges has sent a notice to three-time party MP from Kanthi constituency in West Bengal's East Midnapore district, Sisir Adhikari, asking him to be present in the House and give a verbal explanation on why his membership would not be cancelled as demanded by the leadership of the party he represents.

He has been asked by the committee to be present in the House on October 12 and present his argument.

Sisir Adhikari, is the father of the leader of the opposition in West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari. The distance between the veteran Trinamool Congress Lok Sabha member and his party started growing since his son, Suvendu Adhikari joined the BJP before the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections. Despite officially remaining a Trinamool Congress MP as per records of the Lok Sabha, Sisir Adhikari was never seen in any party function or activities since then.

In June this year, the leader of Trinamool Congress in the Lok Sabha, Sudip Bandopadhya requested Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to disqualify Sisir Adhikari as the member of the House. Recently the matter was moved from the office of the Speaker to Lok Sabha's Committee of Privileges.

While demanding the disqualification of Sisir Adhikari as the member of the Lower House, Sudip Bandopadhyay placed two arguments. The first was relating to his presence at a rally of the Union Home Minister Amit Shah before the 2021 state Assembly elections. The second point was regarding Sisir Adhikari's move in defying Trinamool Congress decision to abstain from the recently concluded polls for elections of the Vice-President of India and also going for casting his vote on that occasion.

Speaking on this development, BJP's state president in West Bengal and party MP, Sukanta Majumdar said that Sisir Adhikari was to join his party. "The Lok Sabha runs on its own set of rules. I am sure that Sisir Adhikari as a veteran politician will appear in front of the Lok Sabha's Committee of Privileges and explain his stand. But, he has not joined the BJP as yet," Majumdar said.